Bad Habits
by kisa sohma cookie
Summary: A small series of oneshots dealing with Kid and his weapons, and how they have grown past their own demons, and how they've helped each other through it. First chapter: Insomnia
1. Chapter 1

**First chapter. Patty has trouble falling asleep. It was never that big of a deal before, but everything must turn into a big deal with kid around**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.**

Patty hated sleeping. More than she hated rude people, and spinach. People talked about it as if it were relaxing and refreshing. But ever since she was little, sleep came difficult for her and her sister. Liz would stay up for hours guarding the both of them while they still lived on the street, gave up any food they got to her first, before finally eating when patty had her full. Never mind the nightmares, the guilt was enough to keep her up for weeks.

There was only one thing she hated more than sleep, and that was beds. They were so god damn soft and promising, but each one let her down, and failed to rock her to sleep the same way mama did. It didn't comfort her in anyway. All it was was a steel trap that kept her at bay for the monsters to come and eat her. She didn't mean the monsters Lizzie is so afraid of, the ones that existed in her own mind, the ones that WERE her own mind.

She had learned a long time ago that doing something kept her mind off of the scary thoughts, kept her form getting mad and screaming at the stupid bed that was failing epically at it's job. If she did that she'd wake Lizzie up, and Lizzie already worked hard enough for her, sleep was the only thing Patty could give back. Most nights she would sit up, petting her Onee-chan's hair and soothing her as the dark circles grew under her eyes. When they had enough stolen money to rent a hotel room, that would lock and keep her sleeping sister safe until she got back, she would go out to clubs, fully capable of protecting herself. Besides, the pair were less noticeable when they were by themselves. The soft thump of the clubs music reverberating against the walls was comforting, like a heart beat, and even though she probably looked like a zombie, dancing limply next to a guy (or was it a girl), she didn't feel so panicked over the fact that she could not sleep.

Then HE Came. The little reaper, he took them in and gave them food enough and a house they didn't have to pay for in stolen money. In a way, a large burden had been taken off of them, but another had been put on. It no longer was a necessity to fight for food and shelter on the streets, but they had to pick up these things called responsibilities. That meant patty couldn't sit up in bed anymore, or she'd be too tired to go on a mission the next day and retrieve souls. She couldn't go out an party at the best clubs even with her sister because the best clubs were always the dangerous ones. He even made Liz stop smoking, which made her crabby right along Patty with her lack of sleep. But no matter how many times the younger blonde screamed in his face, demanding that he get out of her way and let her out or she'd kill him, that same blank and unimpressed look stayed glued to his face.

"Patricia, " He'd being sternly, "You live a different life now, I promised when you became my weapons that I'd watch out for you while you watched out for me in battle. And a reaper always keeps his word."

Finally, one day after she tried to go out, in her nice mid-drift and miniskirt to one of the less dangerous clubs, lost it. Because there was kid standing in front of the door, crossing his arms and forbidding her to go out, along with the usual speech. Forbidding HER, the girl with the freest of spirits that probably existed in this town!

Patty stomped her foot childishly and growled at him, "Patty thought that meant you'd give her food when she was hungry, and give her Onee-chan a place to sleep. Not keep Patty in a cage!"

Kid simply moved un-blinkingly and stared into her face for a moment, "Why didn't you include yourself?"

"Patty doesn't know what you mean." She huffed, glaring at him and backing away, her eyes flashing dangerously.

Kid placed his hands inside his pockets, "You said I gave you food and your sister a place to sleep, but you didn't include yourself.."

"…" Patty didn't like this, he was fishing for something Patty wasn't ready to face.

"Patty…is that why you always want to go out at night?"

"Non of your damn business brat. Patty does what she wants, she's a Thompson sister." His expression didn't change, and it seemed to fix her commandingly to her spot, so she couldn't walk away.

He looked at her, his gold eyes sharp, but faintly sparkling in concern, "Patty, how long has it been since you've slept?"

Patty felt her mouth go dry, she couldn't lie to kid. Liz she could, because Liz wasn't intuitive enough to catch an enigmatic person like her lie. Kid's hawk eye's would take in every little shrot breath that oculd give her away.

So instead of answering, she simply made a noise of disgust and stomped with her cowboy boots back up the stairs. Kid didn't follow, only stared up after her with a concerned and thoughtful expression.

/

It was 1:am, way past the symmetrical time of 11 pm, and patty knew that her Meister had long since gone to bed, along with her sister. She crept down the corridor of the kids mansion and slid downt he banister of the tall stairs to save herself from the creaky steps. She landed with a soft thump onto her knees, and tried not to snicker at how cunning she was, she skipped lightly over to the fornt door, and was just about to turn the skull shaped knob when-

"Eh-he-hem." A voice coughed form behind her. Patty felt herself freeze and the hairs o the back of her neck prick.

She turned slowly, to see a very agitated looking kid in a bathrobe and black slippers, tapping his foot impatiently from his place in the living room. Where he had been patiently reading a book, waiting for her.

For a split second all they did was stare at each other. Next she was ripping the door open, being the impulsive person she was, and trying to make a break for it. He was prepared for this. Of course he was.

Patty felt his strong arms around her waist and yank her back, and heard him close the door quietly behind him and finally squawked when he hoisted her over his shoulder. Kid might have been a shrimp in size, but he was like a shrimp on steroids when he wanted to be, must be the shinigami part of him.

Whatever the case, she knew where he was going to take her as he started ascending the steps in the direction of her room, and she pounded feebly on his back and kicked her legs painfully into his ribs. But again, shinigami, means he's slightly more durable than the normal human. He simply ignored her screams of fury and feeble attempts to get down until he reached her room, and plopped her down on her bed.

His agitation was pushed aside when he saw that patty didn't fall into her bed like most did, like greeting an old friend. The younger of the twin pistols actually looked like a cat that had been dumped into a tub of water, stiffly moving her arms one by one and sitting bolt right up, as if to keep as much of her off the plush cushion.

He knew this needed to be solved. He was quite tired, and he couldn't stop Patty form running herself ragged every night if they didn't get to the bottom of it. He moved slightly, and suddenly the once furious pistol let out a terrified and gut wrenching wail.

Kid jumped and glanced at her worriedly, had he hurt her in some way?

"Don't weave me!"She screamed, and kid could hear Liz's panicked feet thumping down the hallway, until she burst into the room breathless, her hair in disarray after sleep.

"What..in hell..happened?" she asked between gasps, as Patty continued to sob like a five year old being who got her toy taken away.

"You're sister has insomnia Liz! She needs to sleep, I was trying to get her to do that instead of going out, but she-I mean this-I" Kid was not very good at situations lie this, at least when it concerned the ones he cared about. Strangers where standard and could be dealt with in their angst attacks easily, but Patty was a different story, a VERY different story.

Liz froze a the word 'Insomnia' her eyes softened and looked sad. I made Patty wail again.

The elder of the two slowly walked to her sister and hugged her to her chest,

"Patty, why didn't you tell me you were an insomniac?…I don't want you to deal with something like that alone, it can make you really sick."

"P-Patty knows." Patty sniffled, hugging her sister, as kid pulled up her desk chair to sit beside the two as she continued, "Patty knows, but no matter how hard she tries, she never gets sleepy enough to go beddie bye! Patty doesn't like being awake all the time, it doesn't make her feel good, and it makes her yell at Onee-chan and Kid! But She doesn't like the nightmares either, Patty doesn't like being alone in the dark where they can get her. Patty doesn't know what to do!" A fresh round of sobs made kid jump, as he wrung his hands nervously at the sight of her tears. He didn't like it when girls cried, especially if it was a girl he cared for, it made them asymmetrical.

He handed her a handkerchief which she blew into noisily, and he soundlessly tossed the linen into the nearby garbage can.

"Patty, I know this is going to be difficult, but you need to trust me and your sister to help you through this. Talk to us when something is bothering you, instead of waiting to worry about it alone at night. And eventually you'll feel well enough to sleep on your own again.."

Patty sniffled and rubbed her eyes ,which were dark and sleepy, but still afraid, "But Patty's too tired to talk right now."

"Then we will in the morning" the serious young reaper placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "For now, I'm sure your sister wouldn't mind spending the night with you."

Liz nodded, and patty seemed to breath a sigh of relief, her crying finally stopping as she hugged her sister, "thank you Onee-chan."

Kid smiled at the two, and stood form his chair, happy to be able to go to sleep himself again, when he felt something strong clamp onto his wrist. He looked to see Patty pouting at him.

"Kid-kun too!" She demanded, tugging on his arms so he was sent sprawling in between his weapons with an indignant yelp.

Before the boy could stand up, he felt arms wrap around his neck and stomach, Patty's legs wrapping around is so he couldn't even sit up. He blushed heavily in embarrassment at the invasion of his personal space, as Patty snuggled closer to him, and liz chuckled behind him in his ear, hugging him like a pair of children with a toy.

"Unhand me at once." He demanded, squirming in Patty's vice grip. She wasn't a shinigami, but against his weary body already tired form fighting her up the stairs, it was enough to keep him pinned in between them.

Patty sighed contentedly and nuzzled the top of his head, "No, for tonight, kid kun is Onee-chan and Patty's teddy bear."

"I most certainly am not!" the boy snapped impatiently, then Patty shook her head.

"But kid kun is nice and protective of his family like a bear right?"

Kid froze and blinked, blushing in embarrassment, "I..I guess."

"So there you go." Liz said, patting his head, "Just go to sleep you two, we've got a mission tomorrow."

Patty giggled, feeling her eyes droop dangerously, but this time she wasn't scared, and she hugged kid tighter which made him gasp for breath,

"And Kid is cute and cuddly like a baby bear, he's gonna get a good girlfriend someday."

"What? I'm a BABY bear now?"

**=^^=, read and review please! Next chapter will come soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Second chapter, hope you like it!**

**disclaimer: i do not own soul eater**

She should have seen it coming. With all of the pristine surfaces of his house, his neat and tidy..everything, his no nonsense attitude. She should have prepared herself for what he was about to do next.

"Hand them over Liz." Kid said sternly, holding his hand out expectantly to the older Thompson sister. Just 2 weeks after they agreed to be his weapons, and he was already barkin orders. Particularly orders that she had an immense problem with.

The former demon of Brooklyn glowered at the short and pale shinigami, "Piss off."

Kid's expression didn't change, he merely sighed, "Stop being a child, I'm only doing this for your own health, and your sisters. Second hand smoke can cause lung cancer just as well as first hand smoke."

Kid's hand made a "gimme" movement, folding in and out, and Liz slapped it away,

"Perhaps I wasn't clear Brat, go jump off a cliff if you think your taking my smokes away."

Patty, feeling a little left out but sensed this of all times was definitely not a good time to jump in, looked back and forth between he two. Part of her was cheering Liz on in standing up to their overbearing meister, but she didn't like her sister smoking either.

It made Liz cough like she was dying in the morning, and it scared Patty each and every time she woke up. It made her sister cranky, and depressed even though she insisted that they helped her. She was addicted, and she was addicted for Patty's sake. It made the younger blonde want to cry.

"Liz, I will take them if I have to." Kid warned, as if telling a child to stop sneaking cookies out af a cookie jar or they wouldn't eat at all.

Liz, in response, moved a hand to the crumpled packet of cigarettes in her jacket pocket protectively. Her hand was shaking, but she kept the glare on. She felt like a caged animal, forced to give up her only life line.

She knew kid was only trying to help, she knew that deep down. Deep DEEEP down at the moment. But…

"You don't understand, you don't get it at all.."Liz took a step backwards when kid moved forward.

They didn't understand…how much she needed these. They didn't understand the pain she went through when she couldn't smoke, when her muscles spazzed and twitched as the nicotine called ot her. They didn't understand that she smoked to keep her mind relaxed but her body alert to better protect patty, isn't that what kid wanted when he took them in? Someone to defend him when he was in battle. She couldn't do that without smoking.

"But Liz.."Patty trailed off, before kid interrupted.

"I understand that you're killing yourself with them, "Kid stated darkly, and Liz felt rage when patty's eyes widened in horror, "slowly."He added, and patty started to sniffle.

"Onee-chan" Liz glanced at patty, and felt the rage boil further at her sister's terrified expression, "Don't smoke Lizzie, I dun want you to die."

Liz's eyes widened, and she could feel her legs shaking. Patty was crying because of her, she should automatically give kid the cigarettes because of this..but, Why was she so afraid? Why did this one pack of cigarettes matter so much that she'd risk her sister's happiness? She could just buy another pack later.

But then it clicked, at least partially.

This was the last pack of cigarettes she had form Brooklyn, the one last tie to their old life that was left. She knew that it was no life to miss, but..

"Stop it.." Liz murmured intensly, and kid stopped walking toward her. His gold eyes were only the slightest bit sympathetic.

"You know I can't do that. Liz, give me the cigarettes, you'll be alright."

Liz looked up sharply, her eyes blazing,

"NO I WON"T!"

Before the younger two could say or do anything, Liz lunged to her side and picked up a strategically placed vase form a pedestal, smashing it to the ground.

Kid shrieked, and immediately crumpled to the floor, picking up the shards carefully. It was the distraction Liz needed to make her getaway.

With kid and patty's horrified expressions engraved into her mind, Liz through herself to the door and pushed it open with all of her strength,

"I've had enough of this place!" Liz screamed as she ran face first into the freezing rain outside. Her boots clapped and splashed through puddles a mile a minute, and the lights of gallows manor faded behind her. The water hit her face and stung like sand, but she didn't care, it made no difference, her frightened tears stung as well. She didn't want to go back there, where everything was so different and people had expectations she didn't know how to meet. But she didn't want to go back to sleeping on a dirty floor and stealing money to survive either…but, if that was true..

Just where would she go?

Her heart felt like it was going to burst, and to her immense horror, something inside of her said "let it". She was so frightened by this prospect ,that she didn't see the rusting old pipe laying directly in her path. The jagged edges caught her jeans, and as her body tried to regain it's balance, her ankle rolled and something snapped.

Liz screamed, and felt the impact when she fell face forward and barley caught herself on her hands. Shots of pain rang through her body as her ankle lay twisted at an awkward angle behind her. The rain fell over her back like a blanket and the thunder crashed over her, it mad her jump, and try to pull herself up ,it was no use, she couldn't walk on her ankle.

It was then Liz finally took the time to take in hers surroundings. She was in a dark, abandoned alley with no windows in which she could call through for help. She was too far in for her to crawl out on either side. She looked up, her hair dripping in front of her face, and felt like screaming again when she saw a little girl staring back at her in the broken pieces of a mirror near the dumpster.

"It hurts" The little girl, said. She had a faded pink dress and blue eyes, with long straight blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. "It hurts lady, please make it stop hurting."

The girl coughed hoarsely, and Liz felt her eyes widen when the little girl showed her her arms, the image distorted in the jagged pieces of mirror. All over the little girl's bare arms were puncture marks, form syringes. And not the kind given by a doctor.

At first Liz thought it was a younger version of patty,

"Make it stop!" The little girl cried

But no, that was wrong. This wasn't Patty she was seeing.

She was seeing herself.

"Why are you hurting me?" the little girl asked, and Liz felt her throat croak in an attempt to answer, but the illusion didn't let her, "Did I do something bad lady? Am I being punished? Don't you know that this hurts me without me having to tell you?"

"I do.." Liz tried to say, but her motuh was dry.

"Why can't you make up your mind? You wanted a better life than this." The little girl asked.

"Stop it." Liz hissed for the second time that night, fear overtaking her common sense.

"Or is it, " the little girl continued, "That you don't think you deserve it?"

"I said stop it damn you!" Liz screamed at her reflection, and it was silent for just one moment.

The little girl's tears spilled over, "I hate you." She said glaring at Liz.

Liz felt an overwhelming rage take over her, and despite the excruciating pain she felt in her ankle, she lunged from where she sat and drew back her fist,

"Shut UP!"

She punched the already broken mirror, but she couldn't feel the sharp shards of glass pierce her fist, she could only sit there on her knees, breathing shallowly as she looked down at what was left of her reflection. No longer a little girl, just her drenched, terrified cowardly self staring back form thousands of broken pieces on the ground.

"I.."Liz spoke, although there was no one, imaginary or not, to hear her, "I don't know.." she gulped, and she felt a fresh wave of tear spill out of her eyes, "I don't know what to do..i don't know what to do anymore…"

She was always the one with a plan, she was always telling Patty that she was going to be alright, because her big sister was there. Is this who she wanted Patty to look up to? A pathetically frightened girl who wanted a different life but couldn't forgive herself for past actions. Did she want patty tell learn that it was okay for people to punish themselves?

Liz couldn't answer any of these, she merely crawled as best she could on her knees, and curled onto the other side of the dumpster, and cradled her injured hand to her chest. And for the first time in years, she sobbed.

This wonderful guy had gone out of his way to prove that she deserved a second chance..and what had she done? Slapped it back in his face, and broke his vase.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Then she couldn't stop, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She said over and over again, as the rain pelted her and the thunder shook the city.

She jumped when she heard loud, dignified steps walk down the alleyway, and despite her hearts leap of joy that someone found her, her body shrunk farther into the corner in shame,

"Liz? Is that you?"

Kid, that's kids voice! Liz thought, astonished. She looked up sharply to see kid staring down at her, more pointedly at her broken ankle.

Her mind wanted to hug him, and explain just why she had run away, but her body operated of it's own accord, and her body lunged to try and run away. She shrieked at the burn her ankle had, and she heard kid gasp as he caught her.

"Liz, what on earth have you done to yourself?" He asked, obviously noticing her bleeding hand now.

He positioned her gently so she was sitting up and he could examine her properly.

"Why'd you come?" Liz asked, her voice tired,

"Because you'll catch a cold if you carry on as you are out here."He answered casually, taking off his large cloak and ripping a piece of it off to wrap her hand in.

"Liar" She said under her breath, but she let him carry on, trying not to wince as he tried to pick out a piece of glass jammed into her skin.

She was silent as he prodded her ankle gently, only to hiss when he picked it up,

"I don't think it's broken, but you've managed to sprain it thoroughly." He observed, before giving her a scolding look, "That will certainly teach you to go running around in the rain."

Liz could feel her annoyance growing, but she held it in, "Before you ask kid," He perked up in response to his name, "I'm not going home with you."

His reaction wasn't exactly what she was expecting. He merely raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Then where exactly are you going to go with your ankle and hand how they are?" he asked condescendingly

Liz flushed in embarrassment, "I'm serious here, I can't go back with you."

"Not to worry, I can carry you on my back," He squatted in front of her, and signaled for her to get on. If she wasn't hurt how she was, Liz would have face palmed.

"No kid, it's not my ankle…I..i can't go back because…because.."

The words wanted o come out, but she couldn't voice them no matter how she tried. Kid was left sitting there, giving her a blank look, until finally he picked her up without her consent.

"Wh-what? Kid! Put me down, I told you I'm not coming with you!"

"Stop being child, "Kid said, holding onto her legs securely, even though her feet were dangerously close to dragging on the ground due to the height difference, "I'm not mad about the vase, all I had to do was break the other one."

"It's not the vase either idiot."She muttered, and she heard him sigh exasperated.

"then what IS It Liz?"

She gulped, and after taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she let her mouth speak freely.

"Because i'm not the girl you think I am.."

The silence she got made her flush in even more embarrassment.

"I-I mean…you think I'm going to become this great death scythe, when I'm relaly just street scum. I smoke because in a freaky way..i think I'm punishing myself for all the crap I landed me and patty into when we were on the streets. Someone like that shouldn't be a weapon to a shinigami. I'm grateful that you are letting me and patty stay with you for this long but…we just aren't cut out for the type of life style your living."

Kid was silent as he mulled this over. And just when Liz though he'd finally put her down, he really just jostled her so he could reaffirm his grip on her legs so he wouldn't drop her.

"So you're saying is you made a mistake."

"A lot of mistakes, kid." she snapped, rolling her eyes.

"Ah, but liz, I've been taught form a young age that it is human nature to make mistakes, and to learn form them. That is also why there are Shinigami, to help teach humans how to learn form their mistakes. Who you were in New York is the same as the you here, at least when you aren't smoking. Don't worry about losing yourself, The smoking doesn't define you, it was simply a choice you made that you need to amend now."

Liz listened to him, and feel panic flutter in her heart. She had heard stories of quitting smoking cold turkey, they didn't sound fun.

Kid turned toward her, his eyes reassuring, "Me and your sister will help you ever step of the way."

And the panic flew away, Liz felt her head slump forward onto kid's shoulder, exhausted.

"thank you..Kiddo-kun."

Kid didn't respond, merely made a small amused sound in the back of his throat, before fishing in her jacket pocket as soon as she had fallen asleep. He pulled out the cigarette packet, and unceremoniously dropped it into a nearby trash can, before continuing on his way back to gallows manor.

She wouldn't be needing them anymore.

/

In the end, both of them did in fact catch a cold, which surprised the hell out of kid, since it is exceedingly rare for a shinigami to get sick.

"Dambit liz." Kid grumbled, blowing his nose as he slumped in his place on the couch. He yelped when Liz gave him a kick form her side of it. She was making good progress with quitting, but she was going to hate kid for a good month or so for it.

Patty giggled, carrying a tray piled with medicine, before tripping and spilling it onto the couch. Kid fainted dead on at the stains it would leave

Yup, people make mistakes, but he could (sort of) live with that.

**read and review please!**


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